According to the Dubai Statistics Centre, the government of Dubai granted 1,978 divorce certificates in 2015, up from 1,683 in 2014[1].The nation’s government has now included initiatives to reverse rising divorce rates in its Vision 2021. In line with this, The Gottman Institute, the world’s premier organisation for science-based personal relationship management, will hold a two-day workshop of its breakthrough ‘The 7 Principles Programme for Couples’ in Dubai over the weekend of April 22 and 23.

 

“The pace of life is getting faster – we’re getting busier, we’re working longer – and our relationships tend to get the leftovers,” noted Dr. David Penner, clinical director at The Gottman Institute and author of Leader’s Guide to The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. “Meanwhile, studies indicate that couples are unable to permanently resolve almost 70 per cent of the issues they face; only 30 per cent of all of their issues end up being resolved. So the stability and satisfaction couples experience in relationships are rooted in how they co-exist with their issues, and not in whether or not they are able to resolve all of them.”

 

Dr. Penner, also a licensed clinical psychologist with over 25 years of experience as an individual and couples therapist, will lead the two-day workshop. The structure of the seven principles outlined in the programme is based on the ‘Sound Relationship House’, which forms an integral part of The Gottman Method. This method was developed after studying over 3,000 couples, over the period of several years, to gather empirical data and detailed physiological and psychological observations. Dr. John Gottman, founder of the method and the institute, has been interviewed by and cited in Time, The Atlantic, BBC, The Guardian, CNN and CBS, among others.

 

“The workshop has two goals: first, it will help couples improve their relationships in the present by dealing with current issues, and second, it arms them with tools to maintain stronger relationships in the future. This workshop will give them an opportunity to develop their friendship, connect in a more positive way and learn how to talk through areas of disagreement productively,” added Dr. Penner.

 

“The workshop does not replace one-on-one therapy for couples in deep crisis,” explained Minna Chacko, conferences head of Chrysalis Events, the organisers of the upcoming workshop. “Rather, it works for couples whose relationships could use support to realign their relationships and make them more stable and fulfilling.”

 

The two-day workshop will comprise lectures, interactive exercises, role-play, discussions and a step-by-step guide to strengthen relationships and handle conflict. Workshop attendees will also receive a copy of Dr. John Gottman’s best-selling book, The Seven Principles For Making Marriage Work.